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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Finnish Objects: Portti Sukat socks

I began the first sock of this pair in January 2012. I knitted constantly throughout 2012. So how come it is now almost March 2013 and I am only just showing you a completed pair of socks?

Ah. That would be because of my poor Records Management policy. You may recall (or probably not!) that this sock recipe was written in Finnish with excellent charts provided for the colourwork. Way back then, I said I was teaching myself knitter's Finnish so that I could read inspirational Finnish knitting blogs, and these socks were meant to be a gentle introduction to the language. Ha!

At some point, coasting down the first leg, I stopped making notes on stitch numbers and row counts and heel construction and just busked my way through the charts. Hey - I got a sock out of it, so what's the problem?!

Well, the problem was that when it came to sock two, I had no idea what my "usual" heel flap was from a whole year previously. And it's all very well moving from "paper dolls" to "picket fence" to "flower garden"... but where did the colourwork rows begin or end? How many stitches did I pick up for the gusset? I had to reverse-engineer the whole damned thing and it was not as easy as I expected. The toe? How fast did I decrease those stitches and when did I stop? Ugh.

So here you have a pair of socks. They are definitely not identical, although they look the same. I struggle to get the second one over my instep. The first is a perfect fit. Sigh.

Lesson learned. Write it down, Roo!

Luckily they DO fit and I love how they look. Just don't ask to see the pattern :S

Stats:Pattern:Portti 2011 sukatYarn: Online Supersocke 100 in Navy Blue from Modern Knitting (£5.65 for 100g). I used less than 50g of the 100g ball.
and much much less than 50g of Lorna's Laces in the Hula Kolili colourway, from Ambermoggie's destash in aid of Macmillan.
Both of these yarns get my vote. Online Supersocke is my ideal workhorse machine washable sock yarn, while Lorna's Laces is a good firm hand-painted yarn in some truly lovely colourways. Some would say that this isn't one of those, but I think it looks lovely against the navy, like a winter sunset :)

11 comments:

OMG LOVE!!! Dangit, I need to stop following your blog, you keep sending me off in new directions filled with wantyness! 'sOK, I'll just hate you from a distance. Seriously, I am SO with you on the whole "write it down, woman!" and those-socks-are-not-identicalness. However, those are so cute, they're worth the craziness getting there!

Yay! for the Finnished Object! Yay! for new socks! The "second sock dilemma" is why I most usually set up two sets of needles, and parp away at both socks at roughly the same time. For didyoumakethat's Sewlution Jar, I taught myself to do both socks at same time on two circular needles. Efficient, but not nearly as satisfying.

Love the yarn and socks. Don't feel too bad. I am working on finishing a pair that was started in 1998. Yep, they've been in the UFO pile for that long. After they are done- I'm in the home stretch on the ball of the foot now - I will pick up the sweater started in 2003. Thankfully we have snow flurries today so I'm now in the Knitting Mood. ;>)

About Me

I live with my First Love (FL) after half a lifetime apart.
In July 2007 he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.
We got married in December 2007.
Carpe diem.
There is lots of wind and sky where I live.
I love reading and stitching and creating things.
I aim to make all my own clothing
or purchase it from ethically-minded
independent creators.
For now. For always.